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454 THE SHEPHEARDES CALENDER
DlGGON
Sike as the shepheards, sike bene her sheepe,
For they mil listen to the shepheards voyce,
But if he call hem at theyr good choyce,
They wander at wil, and stray at pleasure,
And to theyr foldes yeadat their owne leasure
But they nad be better come at their cal
For many han into mischiefe fall,
And bene of rauenous Wolues yrent,
All for they nould be buxome and bent
HOBBINOLL
Fye on thee Diggon, and all thy foule leasing,
Well is knowne that sith the Saxon king, 151
Neuer was Woolfe seene many nor some,
Nor in all Kent, nor in Christendome
But the fewer Woolues (the soth to sayne,)
The more bene the Foxes that here remaine
DIGGON
\es, but they gang in more secrete wise,
And with sheepes clothing doen hem disguise,
They walke not widely as they were wont
For feare of raungers, and the great hunt
But priuely prolling two and froe, 160
Enaunter they mought be inly knowe
HOBBINOL
Or prime or pert yf any bene,
We han great Bandogs will teare their skinne
DIGGON
Indeede thy ball is a bold bigge curre,
And could make a lolly hole in theyr furre
But not good Dogges hem needeth to chace,
But heedy shepheards to discerne their face
For all their craft is in their countemunce,
They bene so graue and full of mayntenaunce
But shall I tell thee what my selfe knowe, 170
Chaunced to Roftynn not long ygoe ?
HOBBINOL
Say it out Diggon, what euer it hight,
For not but well mought him betight,
He is so meeke, wise, and merciable,
And with his word his worke is conuenable
Colin clout I wene be his selfe boye,
(Ah for Colin he whilome my loye)
Shepheards sich, God mought vs many send,
That doen so carefully theyr flocks tend
DIGGON
Thilk same shepheard mought I well marke
He has a Dogge to byte or to barke, 181
Neuer had shepheard so kene a kurre,
That waketh, and if but a leafe sturre
Whilome there wonned a wicked Wolfe,
That with many a Lambe had glutted his gulfe
And euer at night wont to repayre
Vnto the flocke, when the Welkin shone faire,
Ycladde in clothing of seely sheepe,
When the good old man vsed to sleepe
Tho at midnight he would barke and ball, 190
(For he had eft learned a curres call)
As if a Woolfe were emong the sheepe
With that the shepheard would breake his
sleepe,
And send out Lowder (for so his dog hote)
To raunge the fields with wide open throte
Tho when as Lowder was farre awaye,
This Woluish sheepe would catchen his pray,
A Lambe, or a Kidde, or a weanell wast
With that to the wood would he speede him fast
Long time he vsed this slippery pranck, 200
Ere Roffy could for his laboure him .thanck
At end the shepheard his practise spyed,
(For Roily is wise, and as Argus eyed)
And when at euen he came to the flocke,
Fast in theyr folds he did them locke,
And tooke out the Woolfe in his counterfect
cote,
And let out the sheepes bloud at his throte
HOBBINOLL
"Marry Diggon, what should him affraye,
To take his owne where euer it laye ?
for had his wesand bene a little widder, 210
He would hauedeuoured both hidder and shidder
DIGGON
Mischiefe light on him, and Gods great curse,
Too good for him had bene a great deale worse
For it was a perilous beast aboue all,
And eke had he cond the shepherds call
And oft in the night came to the shepecote,
And called Lowder, with a hollow throte,
As if it the old man selfe had bene
The dog his maisters voice did it weene,
Yet halfe in doubt, he opened the dore, 220
And ranne out, as he was wont of yore
No sooner was out, but swifter then thought,
Fast by the hyde the Wolfe lowder caught
And had not Rofly renne to the steuen,
Lowder had be slaine thilke same euen
HOBBINOLL
God shield man, he should so ill haue thriue,
All for he did his deuoyr beliue
If sike bene Wolues, as thou hist told,
How mought we Diggon, hem be hold
DIGGON
How, but with heede and watchfulnesse, 230
Forstalkn hem of their wihnesse ?
For thy with shepheard sittes not playe,
Or sleepe, as some doen, all the long day